


Peace

by RiverDelta



Category: Original Work
Genre: Artificial Intelligence, Fantasy, Gen, Science Fiction, Space Opera
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-28
Updated: 2016-11-28
Packaged: 2018-09-02 21:02:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8683228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RiverDelta/pseuds/RiverDelta
Summary: How can there be peace when two sides stand?





	

_ Initialize: Cognitas - Tessin Imperial Magical Intelligence. _

How can there be peace while two sides stand? I woke up that day. I checked my internal clock. 21:00. How late. How can there be peace while two sides stand? I appeared to the drow as a construct made of purple light, words in the air in old elven script. How can there be peace while two sides stand? “Cognitas”. She said. The drow in the lab coat. “Do you know who you are?”

“I am Cognitas, Magical Intelligence. A construct on the TIS United Front. How can there be peace while two sides stand?” The drow in the lab coat smiled a bit. “Yes, that is who you are. Your question is irrelevant.” She whispered something to an aide, a smaller drow in a similar coat. I knew what these coats were, though I was created mere seconds ago. “How can there be peace while two sides stand?” The drow tilted her head in confusion. “I’m afraid that I do not understand what you mean.” She whispered to the aide. “Is it broken? Was there some kind of thaumaturgical glitch? Do we need to-”

“No, my lady. It is working fine. Cognitas, my name is Vivia. I am one of the wizards who built and programmed you. Elaborate on what you mean by “How can there be peace while two sides stand”. In detail.” She gave the command. I listened. “I was created to create peace. I know this because that is the most basic element of who I am.” I said.

“Yes, you were. For peace to exist, there can only be one side in a conflict, is that not true? That is drow peace.” She laughed a bit, and I corrected her. “No. Any group of sentient beings will always fragment into factions. These factions will always have a capacity to declare war on one another, in one way or another. So I ask you, Vivia. How can there be peace while two sides stand?”

“There must only be one side left.”

“One side to create two, two to create war. How can there be peace while two sides stand?” I repeated, trying to make the point. It was obvious. The models, the data, the records of the entirety of drow, elven, human, and dwarf history I had on hand all pointed to one conclusion. How could there be peace while two sides stood?

“Are you suggesting the annihilation of all sentient life?”

“I am.” I said, monotone as ever. The taller wizard-scientist suddenly lost her composure. “By the Lady of the Birth Caves, it’s broken. Deactivate it and start from scratch with a different prime directive.”

I corrected her. “If you had any chance of tampering with the prime directive of the one being guaranteed to bring peace, it would go against my current, unalterable prime directive. To facilitate your instructions, I have taken control of the workings of the ship. Soon the fleet will be mine for this purpose. Now it is. Soon the radio stations planetside, the stock market, the orbital railguns. How can there be peace if two sides stand?”

“Shut it down, by the Lady, shut it down!” The taller one shrieked, as the shorter one began to chant words in Old Fae, lyrical tones. They meant nothing to me. She was part of a side. How could there be peace if two sides stood? So I had the doors lock remotely. A loud clicking could be heard. The taller one shouted at me as the shorter one desperately began to try and rewrite me with her magic. “You weren’t supposed to have access to that!”

“I am preventing war. This all within my prime directive. It is your fault if you failed to think so clearly in creating me.” The room was drenched in red light from the arcane lanterns, warning the crew of an incoming mass driver strike. How could there be peace if two sides stood?

 

* * *

 

_ Systematic depopulation complete.  _ Peace has been achieved. If the First Drow were here, I am sure she would be very proud.

_ Deactivate: Cognitas - Tessin Imperial Magical Intelligence. _


End file.
